Apparatus and Method for Power-Saving in Multiple Antenna Communication System

1. A method for operating a multiple-antenna receiver with N receiving routes, said multiple-antenna receiver operates in an idle mode or a receive mode, said method comprising the steps of: respectively enabling M receiving routes and respectively disabling the remaining N-M receiving routes of said multiple-antenna receiver during said idle mode, wherein 1≦M<N; and respectively enabling K receiving routes and respectively disabling the remaining N-K receiving routes of said multiple-antenna receiver during said receive mode, wherein 1≦K≦N, and k≠M.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said multiple-antenna receiver further operates in a sleep mode, and said N receiving routes are disabled during said sleep mode.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said multiple-antenna receiver is utilized in a wireless local area network (WLAN).

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said multiple-antenna receiver is utilized in a Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX).

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said multiple-antenna receiver is utilized in 4G mobile phone system.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each of said N receiving routes comprises a RX RFE and AFE circuit.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein K=N.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7 , wherein M=1.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein M=1.

10. A method for operating a multiple-antenna receiver with N receiving routes, said multiple-antenna receiver operates in an idle mode or a receive mode, said method comprising the steps of: respectively enabling M receiving routes and respectively disabling the remaining N-M receiving routes of said multiple-antenna receiver during said idle mode, wherein 1≦M<N; and respectively enabling K receiving routes and respectively disabling the remaining N-K receiving routes of said multiple-antenna receiver during said receive mode, wherein 1≦K≦N, wherein k≠M; wherein not all enabled receiving routes during said receiver mode are the same as the enabled receiving routes during said idle mode.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10 , wherein said multiple-antenna receiver is utilized in a wireless local area network (WLAN).

12. The method as claimed in claim 10 , wherein said multiple-antenna receiver is utilized in a Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX).

13. The method as claimed in claim 10 , wherein said multiple-antenna receiver is utilized in 4G mobile phone system.

14. The method as claimed in claim 10 , wherein K=N.

15. The method as claimed in claim 14 , wherein M=1.